This is the debut release from Hidingplace, a band who look like they're made up of refugees from Elbow and Mogwai, but musically are a lot more derivative than either of those bands. What we have here is a big fat slice of Britrawk, occupying roughly the same space as Serafin, Amplifier, or - at a push - The Glitterati without the glam. It practically reeks of grubby leather and sticky floors. It zips along with satisfying bite and crunch to it, the guitars sounding like they've been carved from blocks of granite, but while it doesn't necessarily do anything wrong and should allow for plenty of moshing opportunities, there's no real spark of ambition or anything unique or inspiring about the band the way there is with, say, Oceansize's galaxy-destroying prog-metal, or the grand baroque insanity of Muse. And the less said about the lyrics the better. For a start, the line 'We broke the mould' on Slave Trade is a blatant fib, but never mind - at least they have belief, however misplaced. Still, it's early days yet and they have a decent enough sound - a bit more originality and personality and they'll do just fine. But is that enough?
Review by Chris Bell
The Welsh, marginally insane, NME loved, rockers have bounced back into our lives with this, the follow up single to "Knock Me Down", "In a Cage on Prozac". The title immediately tells us that we are in for one of the most happy, self indulgent pieces of pop music that we have heard in years...?
Hmmmmm...
"Never knew I was no-one" and "I've got a knife and I know how to use it/Got a knife and I know that he is to blame" are possible the least promising and hope inspiring lyrics to come from a rock song; they would usually be associated with angsty teenage emo that induces wrist-slitting and tears. But no...the pounding power chords of the chorus and the wonderful harmonies actually provide for a relatively cheery listen. There is obviously a serious amount of depression at work in this song but maybe My Red Cell have managed to turn the normally gloom associated feeling into one that should be celebrated and sung about. No? Well I don't know what I'm talking about, I'm just trying to interpret the little bugger!
It's mental, it's angry, it's harmonic and it's a fantastic listen. If My Red Cell can keep up their variety (try listening to Knock Me Down and She's Leaving as well) then it is possible that we have found ourselves another contender in new band of 2004. Who needs angsty Keane when you have angsty My Red Cell...with guitars...big guitars...LOTS of guitars!!
Review by Jason Edwards
www.myredcell.com - hear 'In a Cage (On Prozac) & watch an extract of the video here. Read a review of My Red Cell's debut album '13 in my 31' here
At their best Renminbi sound like Slint playing anti-folk and their worst they sound like, well they’re just not very good. 'The Great Leap' is a mix of wirey guitars, heavy drums and 80s sounding keyboards. Creating a full sound for a three piece they move in an out of genres falling closest to post-punk but the songs aren’t that easy to categorise. Influences can be spotted from all over the place the aforementioned Slint is obvious on the opener ‘Under Hudson’. Progressing to an indie rock sound circa 1994 which so many bands fall into the trap of trying to perfect but just end in boring you to tears, Renminbi don’t do it quite that badly but its far from attention grabbing. Again shifting sound on ‘chat song’ which is the stand out track from this EP, a mixture of anti-folk beats and sonic youth screaming guitars. This is anything but consistent but it certainly has its moments.
Review by Barry Bennett
www.renminbinyc.com - Read a review of Renminbi's 'The People's EP' here
They're back! The maniacal folks from the land that isn't Australia, New Zealand, have come bouncing back after riding on the sucess of their eponymous debut LP and the worldwide love that they have gained after such wonderful songs as "Harmonic Generator" and "In Love". But now The Datsuns are back, they are determined not to produce a similar sounding follow-up album. So it is with this first single from the new album "Outta Sight/Outta Mind" that the new, heavier, more punky Datsuns sound is finally revealed to the eagerly salivating world.
The guitars still sound the same but the main riff of the chorus sounds like something ripped out of The Ataris' back catalogue whilst they were pracitcing their newest violin parts. It doesn't beat about the bush either with the vocals pounding from the very start of the song and the noise maintaining a constant volume level of 15 throughout. This is punk-pop perfection.
The ending screams of "Blacken My Thumb" hint anger, and joy simultaneously and it is with those screams that The Datsuns terminate their 3 minutes of wonder and leave us anticipating the album, tongues hanging out and sweat dripping out of every pore. Ohhhhh the bass....Ohhhhh the guitar...Ohhhhhhhh...the hair!! You must love The Datsuns, and that's an order.
Review by Jason Edwards
M.A.S.S. have recently relocated to France because the fans over there have taken to the band in a way that UK fans have failed to. What the hell is wrong with this country? We're presented with a perfect rock 'n' roll band: Fantastic, swaggering tunes packed to the hilt with riffs and catchy choruses; beautiful rich female vocals; rhythms that command your hips to swivel; not one, but two of the most entertaining live performers around and still we're not satisfied!
'Testify' is yet more evidence that M.A.S.S. are one of the best new British bands around, but it will still only sell a fraction of the copies that dross like Razorlight and Jet will shift this week, and M.A.S.S. will be lost to us forever, enjoying a life on the continent where they receive the acclaim that this truly special band deserve. Shame on us all.
The second single from the Colt's forthcoming album opens in a familiar single drum beat followed by angular riff fashion, reminiscent of debut single 'Sink Venice', but as soon as the first verse kicks in, it's clear that their previously singular focussed vision has been expanded. The hand of the Jesus & Mary Chain is evident here, which will no doubt lead to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club comparisons, but that would be misguided - BRMC have never released anything that manages at once to possess such a furious energy and restrained cool. It's all in the drumming here, all rattling cymbals in the verses and machine gun toms in the chorus, underpinning Paul's vocal drawl and the perfectly twinned guitar and bass of Claire Ingram & recent addition Tracy Bellaires, before setting them loose to ramble free towards an explosive climax.
Review by Paul Madden
“I’m clean, I’m neat, I’m ready to eat,” sings Davey with her ‘butter wouldn’t melt voice and glowing pixie features. With one of the most skip along friendly openings Clean & Neat frolics from your speakers and into your ears were it nestles and satisfies you with impish mischief. You could be just another cubicle dwelling, data imputing fiend but this melody accompanied by Cathy’s honey comb vocals would even make the Mona Lisa lose position and bop around the room.
With more and more high profile support slots, Graham Coxon and Supergrass already lining up the blonde one, Davey is set for a busy summer with the debut album still yet to follow. Her EP, ‘Come on Over’ gave fans a tasty appetizer back in April and now Clean & Neat serves up like a zesty sorbet to cleanse the palette before the main.
Review by Emily Jordan
www.cathydavey.co.uk - Read a live review of Cathy Davey here
“Island Records, where are you? Come on, tell us! Why do you feel the need bring another skateboard rock band into our lives?” The Holiday Plan are like Busted’s big brothers and Green Day’s nerdy cousins, you know the ones you always get compared to! “Why can’t you be more like The Holiday Plan, I bet they never give their mother any cheek!”
Stories will probably be all over Kerrang’s digital channel so expect many casualties but try to resist these 4 lads from North London. Its not their fault no one had the balls to say “No, I don’t like that, I’m bored with Dookie lets try something different!”
Review by Emily Jordan
You can be excused for thinking Elevator Suite and The Charlatans got drunk together and this was the union's result. This debut is the result of a collaboration between Tom Barman of dEUS and techno maestro CJ Holland who have wrapped themselves in cellophane and called themselves ‘Magnus’. Barman has written and directed the film “Any Way the Wind Blows,” and “Summer’s Here” is the lead track. Summer soul and a warm evening with a hint of over-priced ‘funky’ clothes store best describe this little ditty. It opens so well and fills you with giddy glee and you can almost smell ‘holidays.’
However like a holiday fling these feelings soon depart as the track seems to go on without any real progress. You can see how this track would work as backing for the film with the atmosphere the tune creates fitting nicely in Barman’s ‘a day in the life of several’ script. However, as a single the song bores which is a real pity as the hook takes hold and dazzles your influential hips. Alas, as with all holiday romances this juicy arrangement fizzles out and all you're left with is sand in uncomfortable places.
Review by Emily Jordan
Shooting Stars. Vic and Bob, with facial expressions that were reminiscent of a cross between old men and frogs, spouting tunes which had no resemblance to the originals. All the while moving around as though they were about to burst into the funky chicken and trying to get contestants to guess what the hell they were singing. Remember? Well, for some strange reason that is what I think of every time I listen to ‘That Man Will Not Hang’. I don’t know why, as there’s not really much similarity. Mclusky’s vocals are loud and clear, where as it was a mystery as to how anyone ever guessed the songs on Shooting Stars. Mclusky’s songs have substance, Vic and Bob’s all sounded the same. In fact, there’s three tracks on the ‘single’, instead of one accompanied by endless mixes. Admittedly the second track tends to fade into the background, but the other two are great, giving you good value for money. There are, however, some similarities between Vic and Bob’s renditions and that of Mclusky. Both are catchy, lively, enjoyable, and you sense that both have a sense of humour. Go buy Mclusky’s new single, and you too can have fun making comparisons to Shooting Stars.
Review by Nathania Hartley
www.mclusky.net - Read a live review of Mclusky here
Cherryfalls’ music can probably be best described by comparing it to a cherry falling. Well, maybe not a cherry, something less heavy and rather more graceful, say, a leaf for instance. As it comes off the tree it is blown by the wind, sweeping, creating a lush melody. It’s pretty, and returning to the image of a cherry, quite romantic. It takes you back to a previous era, a carefree time when people had nothing to worry about other than when their cherries would be juicy enough to pick and whether their long, floaty skirts would get caught in the country bushes. In Cherryfalls’ case, this era would be sometime in the nineties.
Now picture an actual cherry falling, in real life. It lands on the ground, blending in among all the other cherries, and is either savoured and enjoyed or left there and forgotten about. I could see people going either way with the band. There have been cherries like this before, and inevitably there will be more to come. They are radio friendly, and will probably appeal to people who aren’t that into music, or don’t like it to be particularly different. Cherryfalls, though producing pretty music, are nothing too remarkable.
Review by Nathania Hartley
Hurrah to a band that release 4 singles before releasing their debut! These young Londoners fronted by the bolshy singer Johnny Borrell are current NME favourites. On the eve of releasing their long awaited debut “Up All Night”, their drummer leaves, due to the unhealthy lifestyle, and they release a new single. Previous 3 singles, “Rock N’ Roll Lies”, “Rip it Up”, “Stumble and Fall” were pure rock n’ roll and now they release “Golden Touch”. This is not their finest effort. This song goes nowhere, you keep waiting and waiting for Johnny to really kick off and for the tune to explode into a wonderful racket but sadly it never does. Oh well, maybe it was one single too many.
Review by Sonia Pagliari
Liars. This six track E.P. is actually three tracks accompanied by three videos for those same songs. If you were expecting some catchy and lively tunes similar to previous stuff, e.g. ‘Mr You’re On Fire Mr’, then you’ll be disappointed. However, don’t dismiss this c.d. straight away. Admittedly it seems to be mostly instrumental and somewhat of a concept record, and the videos bring to mind a kind of sloppy D.I.Y. art house style, these are not necessarily bad points.
Let the music play. The first song conjures up a soundscape which causes you to lie back, relax, and enter an almost meditative state. You’re sleepy, very sleepy, repeat after me, ‘the Liars are your gods’, you’re entering a trance like state, you’re sleepy…… BOOM! Track two kicks in, the drum beat is pounding through your body, it’s harsh, fast and you can’t stop moving. Then as quickly as it came, its gone. You’re sleepy, and as the final track washes through you enter a daze. You wonder what happened. Maybe for a die hard fan, though this is definitely not for the mainstream or a casual listener. It’s worth a look in, though if you are wanting to get better acquainted with the Liars then you’d be best starting off with one of their albums.
Review by Nathania Hartley
www.liarsliarsliars.com - Read a live review of Liars here
There's something so genuinely exciting happening in London at the moment that not event the NME can miss it (check out next weeks article, ludicrously built up with the tag line "Is New Cross the new New York", which completely misses the entire point, but that's another rant for another time), and The Rakes are an important part of it all.
Having electrified my senses with a taught, intense, but at the same time humorous performance at Art Brut's Art Bruisers club night last month, expectation was high for this release - phrases such as "Most thrilling new band I've seen all year" were heard emanating from my lips: This would be the band that would change everything and herald a new musical dawn, wipe out the dreary likes of Keane and Coldplay, take back the charts from the manufactured pop idol drivel and high sheen, low content posturors, tackle the inflated house market and solve the Iraq crisis all in one fell swoop.
Strange then that this single doesn't live up to my entirely reasonable expectations; it's merely a great, intelligently written, singalong scuzzy punk song about the utter lack of ambition and mindless "it'll do" attitude of the rut stuck city around them, complete with a rambling guitar line, and the most perfect deployment of handclaps since Kenickie hung up their spangly guitars. Nice to hear a proper English vocal too, rather than the nasal karaoke American affectation preferred by so many British bands these days.
Review by Paul Madden
www.therakes.co.uk - Read a live review of The Rakes here
Coxon is determined to shed his Blur skin and become his own man who people aren't going to solely recognise because of his history. With new album "Hapiness in Magazines" set to be one of the indie favorites of the year and with a headline slot on the Radio 1 stage at this year's Reading and Leeds festivals, things are looking very brigth and shiny for G-ham.
Following up the powerful, and scairly Sex Pistols-esque, single "Freakin' Out" he releases "Bittersweet Bundle of Misery" as the second single from his album before its release. It would not be at all disgraceful to mistake the opening sharp jumpy riff as the begninning to The Streets' "Fit But You Know It" but it then pounces into a very bubbly indie sounding beat with Coxon's raspy voice singing, in a rather tongue in cheek fashion, about a previous love. The song is a great deal of fun in the respect that it is not to be taken seriously and the paradoxical title would suggest this even before listening to the song. This song is much less power chord driven as "Freakin' Out" was and instead it relies on gospel organs, acoustic guitars and tmabourines to get it to its end. There is no doubt that Coxon is one of the best male solo artists that we have to offer in this country and with the release "Bittersweet" I would be surprised if he didn't get the recognition that he deserves.
Review by Jason Edwards
www.grahamcoxon.co.uk - Read a live review of Graham Coxon here & one of his album 'Happiness In Magazines' here
Well here it is-a solo effort from Miss Kittin, which has probably been anticipated by some, but not by me however.
With no Hacker or any of her other feline friends to hold her hand, Miss Kittin appears to have kept it simple, just to be on the safe side. Straightforward electro beats and blips with a subtle guitar line, in a radio friendly three minute edit, make for a not unpleasant listening experience; certainly nothing to write home about though. Inspiration for this track hasn’t been drawn from afar, with lines like ‘I have to write, I have to shout, I have to play records all night’. Sure sounds like a tough life for an international DJ.
To pad out the single, taken from the forthcoming solo album, are remixes from Berlin, Miami and Paris, possibly to ensure sales around the globe, but perhaps I’m merely being cynical. Also included is a bonus video, which is mainly the song words being flashed up on screen, just in case you fancy a sing-along-electro songs.
Review by Holly Wild